Minority News

New Farmers and Ranchers: The Farm Bill invests in the future of agriculture by cultivating and supporting the next generation of farmers, ranchers, and agriculture professionals. According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, there are more than 516,000 farms run by new and beginning farmers and ranchers in our country, which is about...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, today filed an amendment to restore $8.5 million in funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production to the Senate’s Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today announced that Eyang Garrison will become the new Majority Staff Director. Erica Chabot, currently serving as Staff Director, will transition off Capitol Hill later this month. The Committee also anticipates an...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and John Boozman (R-Ark), Ranking Member, are urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to use its authorities under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act to support opportunities for American...

Farm Bill and Global Food Aid: There is a global crisis of hunger that is being driven by violence, armed conflict, rising food prices, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the climate crisis. As many as 783 million people around the world go hungry, and 1 in 4 children under age 5 is severely malnourished.  The Farm Bill supports several programs...

Supporting Healthy Forests: Our nation’s forests support healthy ecosystems, clean air and water, and provide economic and recreational opportunities for communities around the country. The Farm Bill supports several programs that help manage our nation’s forests, conduct research, and provide financial and technical assistance to state and...

WASHINGTON – Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) today announced that $1 billion has been invested across 12,000 projects to support our nation’s specialty crops since she established the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program in the 2008 Farm Bill. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree...

Conservation and the Farm Bill: Investing in clean air, clean water, and nutrient-rich soil is in the interest of our farmers, ranchers, and the American people.   These programs put cash in the pockets of our farmers to adopt climate-friendly practices. The programs are voluntary, popular, and proven ways to address the challenges of the climate...

Supporting Research and Innovation: The Farm Bill’s investments in agriculture research, extension, and education are critical to the resiliency of our farms, global food security, training the next generation of farmers, and mitigating against the climate crisis. Its programs support research that boosts the productivity, quality, and...

A Farm Bill for a Global Market: American agricultural exports grew from $66 billion in 1996 to a record of more than $196 billion last year, supporting more than 1 million American jobs both on and off the farm. U.S. agricultural products are world renowned for safety and quality, and Farm Bill investments help continue that proven record well...

What is Urban Agriculture? Urban agriculture includes the farms, food systems, and green spaces in cities and suburban communities around the country. From community gardens to rooftop farms and farmers markets, urban agriculture creates economic opportunity, promotes local food systems, encourages innovative methods of food production, and...

The Family Safety Net: Just as the Farm Bill supports a safety net for our farmers, it also supports a safety net for American families, helping people put healthy food on the table while benefitting our farmers, producers, and the economy. About 41 million people - almost 80% of whom are children, seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans –...

A Farm Bill for Rural America: More than 46 million people call rural America home, and the Farm Bill invests in the people, businesses, and way of life in small towns across the country. From supporting our farmers, ranchers, and growers to building clean water infrastructure and revitalizing small downtowns, the Farm Bill impacts every corner of...

WASHINGTON – Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) released the following statement on the Biden Administration’s announcement to improve the measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration through climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices. “Climate-smart agriculture and forestry holds...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, John Boozman (R-Ark.), Ranking Member, today announced that the Subcommittee Rural Development and Energy will hold a hearing titled “Rural Water: Modernizing Our Community Water Systems.”...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today released the following statement on the confirmation of Xochitl Torres Small to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.  Stabenow’s statement, as prepared for delivery, follows: I am pleased that...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and John Boozman (R-Ark.), Ranking Member, today announced that the Senate has confirmed Xochitl Torres Small to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.  “Ms. Torres Small’s strong, bipartisan...

“The pandemic caused new challenges for USDA and states alike, who took measures to ensure access to SNAP. However, the national error rate as reported today is unacceptable and threatens the integrity of the program. We urge governors and administrators to promptly establish corrective action plans and continue to work with USDA to address...

WASHINGTON – Chairwoman Stabenow released the following statement on the Biden Administration’s biofuels announcement: “Today’s announcement will provide stability and growth for the Renewable Fuel Standard into the future. This rule provides market certainty for an industry that will be vital to our efforts to confront the...

Stabenow, Wyden, Brown, Tester, Call on President Biden to Swiftly Implement SNAP Exemptions for Vulnerable Populations WASHINGTON (MONDAY, June 5, 2023) – Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.); Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.); Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs...